Loading and conveying machine



United States Patent Isaiah VernonCunningham, Sr.

1411 Nottingham Road, South Charleston, W. Va. 25303 Jan. 16, 1969 Dec.15, 1970 Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented LOADING AND CONVEYING MACHINE4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 214/90, 198/ 1 0 Int. Cl. 365g 41/02 Field of Search 214/90, 92,

91, 93, 94; 198/7, 10; 37/(lnquired) [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,805,750 9/1957 MacDonald 198/10 3,095,080 6/1963 Wagner 198/10 3,391,776 7/1968 Hancock et a1 198/10 Primary Examiner-Albert J.Makay Attorney-Robert G. Mc Morrow ABSTRACT: A loading and conveyingmachine having a forward pulling implement movable in both lateral andvertical axes to force material onto an inclined plate and to a conveyormeans.

PATENTEDBEBISIBYG v 3,547,287.

SHEET 4 [If a 1 LOADING AND CONVEYING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to means forgathering materials such as loose rocks, sand, ores, and similarlyconstituted substances for ultimate conveyance.

2. Description of the Prior Art It has been previously proposed toprovide loading devices involving vehicles with forward pullingimplements to force materials onto a conveyor ultimate discharge in afurther conveyor. Exemplary of such prior proposals is the device shownin prior US Pat. No. 1,905,472 (Kraft, I933). These prior deviceshowever do not supply effective operation under conditions encounteredin use principally in that they have been limited in respect of theavailable rangeof movement of the gathering implements thereof, andfurther in that the inclinations and lengths of the conveying beltsystems have been subject to limiting structural features. In addition,the art has failed to supply an effective means for transfer of thematerials from the implement to the conveying means. I

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a machinefor gathering and conveying loose or partially loosened materials suchas coal. ores, sand and other products of mining or excavation.

Primarily, the machine of this invention finds maximum utility insubterranean mine shafts, pits, steeply inclined open areas, and thelike, where conventional loading and hauling apparatus is not adaptedfor use. The invention comprehends an assemblage of elements includingan'endless conveyor, an inclined angle plate having a discharge edgepositioned over the conveyor, and implement means operable by pivotingin both horizontal and vertical planes to pull the material to beconveyed to an upon the angle plate for discharge on the conveyor. Abasic objective of the invention resides in the provision of apparatusas aforesaid wherein the implement assembly is suitably articulated formovement in maximum arcs of travel forwardly thereof for gathering ofmaterial thereby permitting the machine to be mounted in a fixedposition (or wherein circumstances require, a rail mounting) withoutunduly restricting its area of utility.

It is further an objective of importance to supply a system as describedabove wherein the conveyor is of the endless belt variety, having upperand lower flights, and wherein there is an initial relatively steeplyinclined section, and a trailing section of flatter angularity. Byvirtue of this expedient, the apparatus is adapted for employment in lowoverhead environments. Additionally, there may be provided a seriesofconveyors arranged in a sequence such that discharge from the conveyorof the present invention is ma second conveyor, and to further conveyorsleading to surface discharge locations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a conveyor and loaderfor subterranean use on a rail system, and one wherein the apparatusinvolves a winch system to provide mobility. Other embodiments of theinvention. may provide selfcontained units and other and differentsurface conveyance means.

The present invention is preferably operated by a hydraulic systemproviding multiple functions, and is adaptable for construction in largepart from readily available components. In the latter, it is to beobserved that the invention incorporates standard implement means,making special construction of the gathering apparatus unnecessary.Thus, the device is of relatively manufacturing cost, and istrouble-free in operation and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thefollowing specification when read in conjunction with the annexeddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing aloading and conveying machine constructed and assembled inaccordancewith the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, endelevational view takensubstantially from the plane of the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a foreshortened side elevational view of a first modified formof the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a further modification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:

In FIGS. 1 through 4 the loading and conveying machine hereof isgenerally identified by reference numeral 10. The apparatus 10 includesa frame 12 comprising side members 14, 16, with angular leading ends 18and having opposite trailing ends 20 connected by a back frame element22. Cross plates 24, 26 extend transversely of the side member and havedepending wheel support legs 28, 30, respectively, which extend betweenthe frame sides. Axles 32, 34 are mounted between the legs and carrywheels 36 mounted on rails 38 to provide surface engagement means forthe machine.

A support pallet 40 (FIG. 2) is secured on the upper side of the frameadjacent its trailing end, and has a motor 42 constituting a prime moverfor hydraulic pump 44 connected by a line conduit 46 to a reservoir 48mounted in a manner described below. A winch assembly 50 is provided,and includes a drum 52 and cable 54, the drum being in a bracket securedon the cross plate 26. The drum is powered by a connection (not shown)with the hydraulic power supply of the machine.

An important component of the machine comprises a forward angle plate 56of heavy metallic construction. The plate 56 is connected to theinclined leading ends 18 of the frame sides and is thus inclinedupwardly from its intake edge 58 to its discharge edge 60. The edge 60is supported on an interior plate 61 secured to the frame and having abifurcated central portion. It will be noted in FIGS. 2 and 4 that theintake edge 58 is positioned closely adjacent ground level, and in FIG.I, that the plate is of a width substantially exceeding the width of theframe and its components. Thus, the plate accommodates all materialsoccupying the path of the machine.

The frame-trailing end has an arcuate rear reinforcing bar 62 thereonwith an inboard hitch connection 64. Reinforced stanchions 66 areprovided on opposing sides of the frame in the area of the bar and havetherethrough for a purpose described below.

The conveyor assembly of the invention comprises elongated sidewalls 70,72 upwardly and rearwardly thereof. The walls abut the interior plate 61at their leading ends, and the crossbar 68 extends therethrough as asupport means adjacent the rear ends of the frame. lntermediately, theframe has a further pair of upright supports 74, 76 with a crossbar 78which supports the sidewalls and which projects therethrough.

The sidewalls are substantially coextensive in length and have inboardends 80 and opposite outboard ends 82. The walls are preferably oftwo-stage construction, including forward steeply inclined sections 84,and rearward sections 86 of more shallow angularity.

At the inboard ends 80 of the walls 70, 72 a cross axle 88 is rotatablymounted and carries wheels 90 at its ends, the wheels having gear teeth92 thereon. At a central section of the walls, a second rotatable crossaxle 94 spans the same and has toothed wheels 96, while adjacent theends 86 of the walls, a third axle 98 is provided. The axle 98, with itsgear wheels 99, is mounted in slots in a bearing assembly 102 having ascrew-type positioning means 104 at one side, and having a drive motor106 (FIG. 3) at its opposite side. The drive motor fixed crossbars 68extending fixed to the base frame and extending 106 is hydraulicallypowered by the power supply means of the device, and input and returnlines 108, ,110 are connected in a manner not shown to the reservoir 48and pump 44. An endless belt 112 is provided and has side portions 114with link chain openings 116 engaged by the teeth of the wheels 90, 96and 99. Thus, the belt is driven by the motor 106, and has upper andlower flights. The upper flight is supported by an elongated plate 116which is connected at its sides to the conveyor sidewalls and is shapedto cause the belt to follow a path substantially similar to theconfiguration of the sidewalls.

The belt 112 has uprights 118 thereon atspaced intervals to hold theconveyed material. At its inboard end, the belt passes below thedischarge edge 60 of the plate 56, and extends not illustrated indetail, are mounted on the top plate for control of the varioushydraulic mechanisms, including the winch, conveyor belt drive, and animplement described below.

Movement of material for conveyance bythe machine is primarilyaccomplished by an implement assembly 134. The implement assembly ismounted on a sleeve 136 pivotally secured between connection ears 138,140 on the forward plate 130. Spaced arms 142 are fixed to the sleeveand project forwardly thereof, and have elongated boom plates 144pivoted thereat at a lower connecting channel 146. A pair of clevisplates 148 on the sleeve are pivoted to one end of a boom plate tiltcylinder 150, the oppositeend of which is pivoted to the boom plate 144adjacent their'outer ends. A second elongated boom 152 is pivotallymounted on the outer ends of the first boom plate and has a projectingupper portion 154 connected to one end of a second tilt cylinder 156 theinboard end of which is connected to the boom plate 144 at elongatedtriangular portions 158 thereof. Thus, the cylinders 150 and 156accomplish vertical movements of the boom assembly. The second boomincludes a distal end 160 to which is connected a bucket, flat plate, orother implement 162 (the implement configuration being dictated by thetype of material being handled). The implement is pivoted, at a crosspin 164 to the boom, and has a top bracket 166 thereon. A

cylinder 168 is connected to the bracket 166 at a pivot pin 170, and toa boom shroud 172 at a pin 174. The shroud is also connected to one endof the cylinder 156.

Lateral pivoting movements of the implement assembly 134 are controlledby swing cylinders 176, 178. Each of these 1 cylinders has an interiorend connected to the cross brace 78,

:and the extensible outer ends thereof are secured to pivot ztwings 180,182 (FIG. 1) fixed on opposite sides of the sleeve .136. The swingcylinders function jointly in opposite manner ssuch that extension ofone cylinder is coequal with retraction 'of the other.

in operation, the device is lowered in an excavation such as a mineshaft, to the location of loosened material.

In operation, the device is lowered in an excavation such as 'lamineshaft, to the location of loosened The operator manipulates the controlfor the implement assembly and the impleent forces the material onto theplate 56 and over the the upper end either on a further conveyor or insome other type of transport mechanism. The operator may further controlthe positioning of the device through operation of the winch assembly. I

In FIG. 5, the device 10a is constructed substantially as describedabove but is modified to provide a self-contained support systemincluding drive sprockets 200, castors 202, and tracks 204. A suitablyencased motor system 206 is also provided. FIG. 6 discloses a furthermodification wherein the machine inco orates two independently mountedimplement assemblies 30 302, but wherein the remainder of the device 10bis substantially as described above.

Having described and illustrated several embodiments of this inventionin some detail, it will be understood that these descriptions andillustrations have been offered only by way of example, and that theinvention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A gathering and conveying machine for mined materials in asubterranean mine shaft or the like, the machine comprisa base framehaving a forward end and a trailing end and having mobile groundengagement means thereon;

motor means mounted on the frame including a hydraulic source;

an inclined forward angle plate connected to the leading end of theframe, having an intake edge adjacent ground level and an opposite,elevated discharge edge;

a conveyor assembly, including conveyorsidewalls, gear wheels extendedbetween the sidewalls with roller means therebetween and an endless belttrained about the rollers, the belt having upper and lower flights andbeing positioned such that a portion of the upper flight passes belowthe discharge edge of the plate, and a belt support plate below theupper flight of the belt;

an elongated mounting bracket, having opposite sideplates, a forwardplate and a top, the sideplates being secured to the conveyor sidewallsadjacent the forward end of the frame;

an operators seat and hydraulic control means on the top plate;

pivot brackets on the forward plate;

a gathering means comprising a first boom including a boom plate mountedon said pivot brackets for vertical and lateral movement responsive toextension and retraction of a group of hydraulic cylinders;

a second boom pivoted to the boom plate and including a distal end;

a gathering and pushing implement on the distal end of the second boom;and

' hydraulic cylinder means controlling the pivoting of each boom and theimplement, the second boom and implethem being adapted to gather saidmaterials on the plate and to pull said materials thereto and off thedischarge edge to the belt.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein:

the ground engagement means comprise wheels engaged on mine rails; and

a cable connection connected to the frame for raising and lowering themachine in said shaft.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein:

the ground support means comprise a plurality of tracked rollers; and

a prime mover on said frame for locating the rollers.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein at least two gathering means areprovided.

